Compositions for use in the prevention or treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis in infants and young children

Abstract

The invention discloses a composition comprising LNT and at least another human milk oligosaccharide or precursor thereof, for use in preventing and/or treating necrotizing enterocolitis in infants and young children.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for treating necrotizing enterocolitis and/or decreasing incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in an infant or young child in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the infant or young child a composition comprising 2′-fucosyllactose (2-FL), 6′ sialyllactose (6-SL), and N-acetylated oligosaccharides comprising lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) in a ratio of LNT:LNnT between 2:1 and 1:1, wherein the LNT is present in an amount from 0.4 to 2 g/L of the composition, and the 2′-fucosyllactose (2-FL), the 6′sialyllactose (6-SL), the lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and the lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) are the only human milk oligosaccharides in the composition. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the infant or young child is an infant, and the composition is administered to the infant during the first week after birth of the infant. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered in an amount that provides a daily dose of 0.1 to 2 g of the 6-SL and 0.1 to 4 g of the 2-FL. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered in an amount that provides a daily dose of the N-acetylated oligosaccharides of 0.1 to 3 g. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises sialic acid. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) is present in an amount from 0.2 to 2 g/L of the composition. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one probiotic in an amount of from 10 3  to 10 12  cfu/g of the composition (dry weight). 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in a form selected from the group consisting of an infant formula, a starter infant formula, a follow-on infant formula, a baby food, an infant cereal composition, a growing-up milk, a fortifier and a supplement. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to the infant or young child before and/or during the weaning period. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the infant or young child is selected from the group consisting of preterm infants, small for gestational age infants, and infants born by C-section. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the infant or young child has necrotizing enterocolitis, and the composition is administered to the infant or young child in an amount effective to treat necrotizing enterocolitis. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the LNT is present in an amount from 0.4 to 1 g/L of the composition. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the LNT is present in an amount from 0.4 to 0.9 g/L of the composition.